Improvement in air and gas engines



A. H.`DEVILLENEURE. Improvement in -Ar and Gas Engines,1

N0. 124,671, Patented Marchl9,1872.

fil@

'IATES ABEL BUREAU DE 'VILLENEUVE 0F PARIS, FRANCE.u

IMPROVEMENT IN AIR AND GAS ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,671, dated March 19, 1872.

"tion of the same, and which said drawing constitutes part of this specification, and represents, in- 4,

Figure l, a general plan of an engine of ten or twelve horse-power driven by naphtha,1nethylated or other spirit, at a pressure of about ten atmospheres; Fig. 2, a transverse section ofthe heating-chamber; Fig. 3, a transverse section through thecylinder of the en gine; and

in Fig. 4, a longitudinal view of a vertical heatin g-ehamber. j My invention consists of means and apparatus for utilizing, first, the gases arising from the combustion in a closed vessel and under hi gh pressure of all liquid hydrocarbons, whether capable of vaporization or not, which combustion takes place in the presence of compressed air of a high temperature; second, the vapors arising from the injection of volatile liquids, which, while greatly increasing the volume of gas, increase the temperature of the mixture to from 200O to 4000. When the liquids are vaporizable at a lower temperature than 3000 they arecontained in a jacket around the cylinder of the engine, where,l while they prevent the overheating of the metals and lubricating-oils, they utilize the heat subtracted from the hotter gases by being .themselves vaporized under pressure. These vapors are introduced by a platinum-rose into a heatingchamber, where they mix intimately, and thence, together with hot air at the same pressure, they pass out through a second platinum-rose, and combustion is caused by their passing over a red-hot platinum-sponge, used to produce or increase the combustion. When the liquids cannot be vaporized at a lower temperature than 3000 (such as the heavy oils of petroleum) they are always admitted to the casing around thecylinder, to absorb there a certain part of the heat of the gas; but they are sent in a liquid state into the heating-chamber by means of a small pump. The small streams of liquid which pass out of the rose are always burnt by the comy lpressed air in passing over the red-hot platinum-sponge. In either case the immense temperature thus developed requires reducing. I therefore inject, by means of a pump opposite the point where the combustion takes place, a volatile liquid, which, while it reduces the temperature, increases the volume of the gaseous mass.

In most cases the liquid, before entering by apump or by a perforation in the heating-chamber, may be raised to a temperature of about 1000 by the gas which is emitted from the cylinder and by the heat developed by the compression of air in theair-pump. The compressed air from the air-pump is reheated in a casing placed aroundtheheating-chamber. This heating of the air will produce a quicker combustion, and therefore the combustible material will be burned with as little air as possible. In i order to diminish the work of the air-pump, instead of passing therethrough compressed air, I can pass oxygen produced by the decomposition of salts of manganese, chlorates, or other means, and in order to utilize the gas to a greater extent a valve is used.

This invention will be clearly understood by referring to the accompanying sheet of drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a general plan of an engine of ten or twelve horse-power, driven by naphtha, methylated or other spirit, at a pressure of about ten atmospheres.

A represents the cylinder with its casing in section, (partly shown in transverse section, Fig. 3.) The said casing contains the liquid to be vaporized, the cylinder, the valve, and the exhaust-pipe f immersed in the liquid. The casing has at its upper part a steam-space, and at one side a gauge-tube, N, which is also used for putting the apparatus in motion. Below the water-level on this tube is seen a copper ball, containing a small quantity of liquid to be vaporized. The cocks r and fr being closed, the ball is heated by a lamp, and the vapor therefromy enters the heating-chamber by the tube t. `E is the force-pump for inducting the combustible liquid with the casing. b is the tube for the passage of the combajlstible vapor. C is the air-pump, D, the pump for forcing the air into the heating-chamber; and d conducts water to the heating-chamber.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the-heatingchamber, which is lined inside with refractory clay, o. Near the lower end are two tubes furnished with platinum-roses, one of which, m, introduces the combustible vapors, and the other, l), this compressed air. The platinum-sponge p, heated to a red-heat by a central interior blow-pipe, produces and keeps up the combustion. At the other end is the rose or perforation through which the injection water passes. The mixture of gas and steam escapes bythe tube' a from the dome at a temperature of about 2000 to 4000, and is delivered to the valve of the cylinder.

Fig. 4 represents a longitudinal View of a vertical heating-chamber. Into this cylindrical dit generating store (constructed of copper) the compressedairentersthroughthepipeB placed at the lower end. The tube C is used for lighting purposes. The air and combustible matter meet together over a platinum-sponge, P, or a piece of lime placed upon a cap, a. The airis heated upon the perforated slabs in the pipe A, and combustion takes place continuously in the furnace D, whence the products of combustion pass through the small holes E E to escape by the tube F into the motivecylinder. Water is alsoadmitted through the pipe G, an d, passing through H, flows along the spiral I, fixed upon the cone over the furnace, through which said cone are pierced the holes E E. The quantity of water admitted should be regulated so that the whole of it is vaporized before reaching the bottom of the cylinder; but if any excess of water enters it will gravitate through Kinto a suitable reservoir for its reception. The steam produced from this water is superheated by mixing with the products of combustion, and passeswith them into the cylinder to work the piston. It would be possible, with a slight modification, to burn solid combustible matters in this way, which would be introduced into the furnace by means of a chute.

1t will be understood that the arrangement of apparatus above described is only shown'as a specimen of the invention, but the said apparatus may be modified to adapt itself to circumstances, the object of the invention being to diminish the weight of the fuel employed, (a most important item in marine and aerial navigatiom) and to diminish also the weight of the machine per horse-power.

The apparatus above described, consisting of the cylinder A with its outer case or jacket, forming a chamber around the said cylinder to receive the liquid to be Vaporized, the said cylinder and its valve and exh austpipc submerged in said chamber, the force-pump E, air-pump C, audforcepump D, and their connection with the generating heating-chamber, Where, in the i presence of compressed air, combustion and va,- porizatiou of liquids and iiuids used as auxiliaries to the motive-power takes place.

In testimony whereof have signed my name to this specification before two subscribing Witnesses. .Y

ABEL HUB-EAU DE VILLENEUVE. Witnesses:

F. OLoorT, C. LAFOUR. 

